Daniel F. Harrington: Richard Nixon and the power of love

Think you know Richard Nixon? Maybe you don’t — at least not the Nixon I’ll tell you about. No, not the oft-imitated, jowly, “I am not a crook” Nixon we’ve seen parodied a hundred times.Think, instead,...

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Daniel F. Harrington
Posted Feb. 14, 2014 @ 12:01 am

Think you know Richard Nixon? Maybe you don’t — at least not the Nixon I’ll tell you about. No, not the oft-imitated, jowly, “I am not a crook” Nixon we’ve seen parodied a hundred times.

Think, instead, of a remarkable young man full of talent and ambition. And yes, handsome, too. Fresh out of Duke Law School, Nixon works hard at building his practice and making a name for himself. He’s 25, yet far from either fame or fortune.

And then he sees her.

She’s 26 and her name is Pat Ryan. And she’s everything Nixon’s not: gregarious, popular, funny and confident. She’s also gorgeous. So, Dick Nixon goes all in and asks her out on a date. Of course, she declines.

And then it starts.

Nixon, learning that Pat travels by bus each weekend to visit her boyfriend, offers to drive her there instead. She accepts the odd invitation from the meek man. She rolls her eyes and frowns a bit as she enters his car but endures the ride because it saves her time. Nixon proves himself the perfect gentleman and so the rides continue.

And then, over time, something interesting happens. Instead of frowning when she enters Dick Nixon’s car, Pat finds herself frowning when it’s time to leave him. Nixon’s venture into the taxi business lasts two long years but eventually pays off: The two marry in 1940.

They build a life together, have two kids, and one day Pat becomes first lady of the United States. On their 53rd wedding anniversary in 1990, Pat passes away and the nation watches on television as President Nixon visibly shakes and sobs uncontrollably at her funeral. Time may temper the sorrow of the aged but it didn’t on that day. Nixon knew the rides with Pat were over and his heart — forever 25 — was breaking before the world.

We’ve all heard St. Paul’s long list of the things “love is” when quoted at church or at weddings, but do you recall what he lists first? Love is patient. Interesting, isn’t it? And in Nixon’s case, love was also pretty persistent — and methodical, careful and confident, too.

Not sentiments we see bursting forth from the red cards in the drug store today but worthy of mention nonetheless. I wonder if we heeded the dry wisdom of their call we’d all see better results when we turn to the business of capturing the objects of our own desires, be they other hearts, careers or the goals that ignore us.

But do such things really have a say in love and romance?

Only Cupid knows, and he’s not talking. Forever stealthy and mischievous, clever Cupid eludes our capture even today. But perhaps one day we’ll nab him.

If we do, I suspect his true nature will surprise us all: His quiver, for example, will probably be much larger than we’d imagined and filled with an astonishing number of tiny arrows — as opposed to a few big ones. His trusty bow will be well-worn and his right hand calloused from heavy use; the end of his wings frayed like a flag flown too long. He’ll likely smell not of sweet perfume but of noble sweat and we’ll all notice the deep smile lines etched into his tiny face. And yes, he’ll laugh, too — uncontrollably.

Just a few thoughts to consider this Valentine’s Day as you ponder your own heart’s desires or find yourself gazing at a pretty girl at a bus stop.

Daniel F. Harrington (danielfharrington@yahoo.com), of Warwick, an occasional contributor, is president of Chartwell Investment Services.